1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thin organic electroluminescent device capable of preventing permeation of oxygen or water and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic electroluminescent device as self light-emitting device emits a light having a predetermined wavelength when a certain voltage is applied thereto.
FIG. 1A is a plane view illustrating a conventional first organic electroluminescent device.
In FIG. 1A, the organic electroluminescent device includes a plurality of pixels 30, a getter 50 and a cell cap 70.
Each of the pixels 30 includes an anode electrode layer 100, an organic layer 120 and a cathode electrode layer 140 formed in sequence on a substrate 10. In case a positive voltage and a negative voltage are respectively applied to the anode electrode layer 100 and the cathode electrode layer 140, a light having a certain wavelength is emitted from the organic layer 120.
The getter 50 is attached to the cell cap 70, and removes oxygen (O2) or water (H2O) in the organic electroluminescent device.
The cell cap 70 covers the pixels 30 so that oxygen (O2), water (H2O), etc. are not permeated into the inside of the cell cap 70. In this case, the getter 50 should not be contacted to the cathode electrode layer 140. Therefore, a space is required between the getter 50 and the cathode electrode layer 140, and so the thickness of the first organic electroluminescent device is increased.
Recently, a mobile phone, etc. employing an organic electroluminescent device tends to be miniaturized. Hence, the thickness of the organic electroluminescent device also should be reduced. However, the first organic electroluminescent device includes the cell cap 70 to which the getter 50 is attached, and so the thickness of a mobile phone employing the conventional first organic electroluminescent device could not be reduced.
Accordingly, the following second organic electroluminescent device was developed.
FIG. 1B is a plane view illustrating a conventional second organic electroluminescent device.
In FIG. 1B, the second organic electroluminescent device includes pixels 30, a planarization layer 200 and a passivation layer 220.
The planarization layer 200 is formed on the pixels 30, thereby intensifying the adhesive force between the pixels 30 and the passivation layer 220.
The passivation layer 220 is formed on the planarization layer 200 to prevent oxygen (O2), water (H2O), etc. permeating into the inside of the passivation layer 220. However, the thickness of edge part of the passivation layer 220 which is attached to the substrate 10 is thin, and thus oxygen (O2), water (H2O), etc. could be permeated into the inside of the planarization layer 200. As a result, a part of the pixels 30 may not emit a light.
Accordingly, there has been a need for another organic electroluminescent device that can prevent the permeation of oxygen (O2), water (H2O), etc. and is thin.